Texas Roadside

Oil on panel, 6"x8"

Another scene from the Texas Hill Country. This is a typical springtime roadside.

Ranch House in Menard

Oil on canvas, 18"x24"

This is an old family ranch house in Menard, Texas.

A Walk in the Park

Oil on linen panel, 11"x14"

This scene was painted from pictures I took while hiking at Enchanted Rock State Park. I took artistic license with the background and also changed the scene from winter to a spring setting.

Hill Country

Oil on panel, 16"x20"

This is another made up scene of the Texas Hill Country. I usually start these with a small thumbnail sketch but other times I just start painting, which is how this scene came to life.

Menard Study

Oil on panel, 9"x12"

This is a study for a larger painting. The scene is an old stone ranch house in the hills of Menard, Texas.

Rising Water

oil on panel, 8"x10"

This scene is from my summer trip to Colorado.

Golden November

Oil on panel, 6"x8"

I found these horses grazing in the late afternoon November sunlight of Old Town Spring, north of Houston, Texas.

Early April

Oil on panel, 8"x10"

This painting was created from a compilation of photos taken near Fredericksbug, Texas.

Oak Tree

Oil on panel, 8"x10"

I painted this Oak tree from a small 2.5"x3.5" color study i created.

The Road I'm On

Oil on panel, 8"x10"

Another scene of the Texas Hill Country.

How far down your road of life can you see?

Canyon at Black Gap

Oil on panel, 8"x10"

This scene is from Black Gap Wildlife Management area just east of Big Bend National Park.

After being out of work since February I just started a new job this last Monday. For sure a double edge sword. I needed to work but my daily commute has been about 1.5 hours each way leaving me little time to paint during the week. With the shorter days and the sun going down so early, I find it difficult to acclimate to painting at night. Hopefully I can adjust and get more painting in.

In the Shadows

Oil on panel, 6"x8"

This scene is in Big Bend National Park.

Hill Country Blue

Oil on panel, 6"x8"

Another scene from the hill country, featuring springtime bluebonnets.

Peonies

Oil on panel, 16"x20"

This is the final Peonies painting completed from life (silk flowers) and using the previous studies done recently.

A Spring Day

Oil on panel, 9"x12"

A scene during spring in the Texas Hill Country.

Happy Campers

Oil on linen panel, 9"x12"

This scene is early morning in Lost Maples State Park near Vanderpool, Texas

Peonies Study 2

Oil on panel, 8"x10"
This is the second of my studies for a larger commission painting of Peonies.

Wash and Tumble Dry

Oil on Gessobord panel, 8"x8"

This scene is from a dry wash in Big Bend National Park. The pile of rocks interested me in their abstract form, and I love painting reflected light.

Golden Sycamores

Oil on panel, 8"x10"

I painted these Sycamore trees en plein air in Old Town Spring. I am sure I will paint more of them. They are quite beautiful in their fall foliage.

Peonies Study_1

Oil on panel, 6"x8"

I have a commission piece of Peonies to paint for a collector so I thought I would do a few studies before I paint a larger piece. This being the first, will be the smallest and I will work larger each time. I have painted them before but it has been a while and I need to familiarize myself with them again. I think it would be cost prohibitive to attempt to locate real Peonies if it is even possible at this time of year but I found some silk ones at a nearby craft store and set them near my easel to paint directly from "fake" life.

Cactus

Oil on panel, 6"x8"

Another made up scene, I fought this piece for a while, painting, then scraping then repainting until finally it was at least temporarily in my good graces. So here it is before I scrape it again. Going out to paint outside, that will alleviate the made up torture for a while and replace that with sun, mosquitos and gawkers.

North of San Antonio

Oil on panel, 9"x12"

I used the previously done smaller version of the same titled painting as a study for this piece. It originated as a thumbnail, then a finished 6"x8" early this year and now this 9"x12" version.

Morning Shadows

Oil on museum panel, 6"x6"

Another scene from between Cata Valley and Rock Springs, Texas.

Oak on a Hill

Oil on museum panel, 6"x6"

This scene was created from photos taken near Carta Valley and Rock Springs, Texas.

Hilltop

Oil on panel, 11"x14"

I sometimes enjoy using only my imagination to create a painting. This is one of those scenes, it is entirely made up.

Mt. Sopris

Oil on panel, 6"x8"

This view of Mt. Sopris is from the Skyline Ranch in Carbondale, Colorado. I painted plein air there in June during a workshop with George Strickland.

Badlands

Oil on panel, 8"x10"

This scene is from the Badlands of Big Bend National Park. The Badlands are on the Western side of the park toward Study Butte.

Valley of Blue

The Background Hill was bothering me, it just called for to much attention, so I pushed it back and removed some of the detail. This is the revised painting.


Oil on panel, 11"x14"
I used a photo from around Bandera for this piece but I altered it quite a bit.

Under a Mesquite

Oil on museum panel, 8"x8"
I found this cow seeking relief from 100º plus heat under a mesquite tree off the Post Road south of Marathon, Texas.

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Peaceful Morning

Oil on panel, 16"x20"

I did this painting in January of this year but nearly ruined it in a rush to finish it. It has been sitting in the bad corner for a while and I finally decided to fix it or trash it. It still has some issues but is far better than it was. I am still having problems photographing anything this large. I just cant keep glare off my canvases.

Chisos from a Dry Wash

Oil on panel, 6"x8"
This is a view from a dry wash in the western side of Big Bend National Park.
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Springs Arrival

Oil on panel, 8"x10"
This is another scene from north of Fredericksburg near Enchanted Rock State Park. My intent was to keep this piece pretty impressionistic. I wanted no trivial details.

Desert Rain

Oil on panel, 8"x6"
Another scene from Big Bend National Park. Painted from a photo print I took over 20 years ago.

North of Fredericksburg

Oil on linen panel, 9"x12"

I found this scene in early spring between Fredericksburg and Enchanted Rock State Park. The creek was no longer flowing and had a few isolated pools scattered along it's path.

Last Light

Oil on panel, 6"x6"

This piece is similar to "Afternoon Light". Almost a mirror image but I placed this tree on a hillside and Hit the top of the tree with direct light. I witnessed lighting like this the other day in the neighborhood. The tree tops were glowing while very cool greens were in the shadows below the sunlight. It only lasted for a few brief minutes then it was gone. I made mental notes of the colors and how I would mix them. Not quite plein air painting but this is the kind of mental work John Carlson was famous for.

Foot of the Hills

Oil on panel, 11"x14"
Another scene from near Bandera, Texas. I almost divided this canvas in half with the bottom of the tree line. I think I kept it just off center enough to work but it is dangerously close.

Morning in the Hills

Oil on linen panel, 8"x10"

Another scene from photos taken near Bandera, Texas. I took considerable liberty with recomposing and pushing color from the image I worked from.

Grapevine Hills

Oil on panel, 6"x8"
Another scene from the Grapevine Hills in Big Bend National Park.

Afternoon Light

Oil on panel, 6"x6"

Another Oak tree scene in the late afternoon light of the Hill Country.

Breaking Clouds

Oil on panel, 6"x8"
This is a morning scene as the clouds begin to break over the hills near Bandera in the Texas Hill Country.

Boerne Oak

Oil on linen panel, 8"x6"

This Oak tree was growing just outside of Boerne, Texas.

Castalon Peak and Ocotillo

Oil on panel, 10"x8"

This view of Castalon Peak is from the Tuff Canyon Trail. Castalon Peak and Tuff Canyon are accessible from the Ross Maxwell Scenic Road in Big Bend National Park.

High Desert Prairie

Oil on panel, 8"x10"

This scene is along the upper Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive in Big Bend National Park.

Blue Near Bandera

Oil on linen panel, 12"x16"

This is a scene from memory of areas around Bandera, Texas. I started this painting with the intention of using no brush smaller than a number 8 but could not keep the number 5 out of my hands. I have to keep telling myself: try to keep it simple, use a big brush and paint shapes, not objects.

"Swift Water"

Oil on panel, 6"x8"

This scene is from a photo I took while in Colorado this summer. I was there taking an outdoor workshop with George Strickland. After the workshop was complete I had a full day to drive around and paint on my own. I believe this scene to be near Basalt or Aspen on the way to the Maroon Bells. I have photographed this piece several times and just haven't been able to get a good picture of it. There is a constant glare on the dark pine trees and the trees on the far right side are almost blown out in the photo. The actual painting looks much nicer than my posted image.

"Mountains and Clouds"

Oil on panel, 10"x0"

This is a scene I have repainted a couple times on this canvas panel. It was done from a photo taken out the window of a car I was passenger in as the car was speeding along the highway. The entire foreground was blurred out but the background mountains and clouds were in focus and were my purpose for taking the photo.

"Land of the Yucca"

Oil on panel, 8"x10"

This scene is from Dagger Flats in Big Bend National Park. The area is known for its' proliferation of Faxon Yucca. Occasionally they all bloom simultaneously and cover the horizon with magnificent aromatic flowers. They attract bees, humming birds and a multitude of insect varieties. Dagger Flats is off the beaten trail in the north east portion of the park, rarely visited, when the Faxon bloom it is a jewel to behold.

"A Lofty Oak"

Oil on panel, 6"x8"

Another springtime scene with bluebonnets. I tried keeping the bluebonnets rather subdued and making the focus the large Oak tree being cropped off at the top of the painting. This was something that began as a thumbnail sketch and progressed to a finished painting. It might work nicely as a much larger piece.

"The Soft Hues of Summer"

Oil on panel, 8"x10"

This scene is on the Post Road, south of Marathon, Texas. I think there is less vibrant color in the landscape during summer than any other time of year. Spring and fall are full of vibrant color, winter has so many beautiful warm grays and rich color but summer color often appears tired and worn.